SAF SURGICAL TEAM RETURN FROM AFGHANISTAN

Orthopaedic surgeon Captain (CPT) (NS) (Dr) Mathew Cheng belongs to a rare breed of medical doctors in Singapore. The 43-year-old was one of three Operationally Ready National Servicemen (NSmen) who volunteered to head to Afghanistan as part of an eight-man surgical team from the Singapore Armed Force (SAF).

Deployed for two months from 1 Apr to 30 May, the team provided surgical and medical support to the international coalition troops at a field hospital in a base at Tarin Kowt, the capital of the Afghan province of Oruzgan, as well as emergency medical care for the Afghan locals.

This is the first time the SAF has sent a surgical team to the war-torn country, as well as the first time NSmen have participated in such a mission to Afghanistan.

A firm believer in the "right person for the right job", CPT (NS) (Dr) Cheng said he could not refuse the call of duty when approached by Chief Army Medical Officer, Lieutenant Colonel (Dr) Chua Wei Chong, about the mission.

"All my friends know that I'm the type who can rough it out in a rugged environment and I had the suitable skills to do a wide range of surgeries, so I felt that I had a responsibility to go since I was able and willing to contribute," said the former Commando medical officer, who had also taken part in the SAF's peacekeeping mission to East Timor in 2002.

Although he said he made up his mind to go right from the start, it was no easy task for the new father to part with his first-born daughter, who was only four months old when he left Singapore.

Noting that it was "only natural" for all families to object and not want their loved ones going overseas to a combat zone, CPT (NS) (Dr) Cheng tried to break the news to his family gently, and was grateful for their support and understanding.

While he was in Afghanistan, CPT (NS) Dr Cheng kept in touch with his wife via email and satellite phone calls every few days to tell her that he was safe and sound.

Similarly, fellow NSman CPT (NS) (Dr) Tan Wah Tze allayed his family's concerns by reassuring them that the SAF put in place good protocols and infrastructure to to ensure their safety.

Prior to deployment, the team underwent weeks of physical and weapons training, as well as integration training in the Netherlands with their Dutch counterparts.

During their two-month stint in Afghanistan, more than seven rocket attacks occurred, with artillery rounds landing in the base. The field hospital and housing containers were fortified against such attacks, and the team minimised exposure risks by restricting their movements in open areas.

As CPT (NS) (Dr) Tan noted: "Afghanistan is not exactly a tourist spot... There were moments when your heart rate goes a bit faster."

Other challenges which the team faced were language barriers and limited manpower resources. While there are usually 10 to 20 personnel in a civilian operating theatre in Singapore, they had to multi-task and work as a lean team of about five in Afghanistan, said the 38-year-old consultant anaesthetist.

Team leader Major (MAJ) (DR) Muhammad Idu commented that this mission has shown that NSmen and Regulars can deploy and work together effectively. "It was a very good composite team... The three NSmen doctors adapted pretty well to the military environment, and they are experts in their own areas, so they had a wealth of experience to share with the rest."

The 30-year-old, who has prior experience from overseas deployments to Aceh and Jarketa under his belt, shared that the cases in Afghanistan were quite different from previous humanitarian aid and disaster relief missions.

It was a new experience for the surgical team members, who had to treat and manage combat injuries, including gunshot wounds and blast injuries resulting from improvised explosive devices.

"The high point of the mission is when we save a life after receiving multiple casualties and completing major operations," said MAJ (Dr) Idu.

The surgical team performed 85 operations and over a hundred outpatient reviews and consultations during their time in Afghanistan.

This is the tenth SAF deployment to Afghanistan since 2007. Previous deployments include a medical team and a Weapon Locating Radar team in 2009.

02 Apr 10 - SAF Surgical Team begins operations in Afghanistan